Roboweb – Meccatronica
Definizioni di Meccatronica
MECCATRONICA:
Si intende “Ingegneria meccatronica” l’unione sinergica di almeno 4 discipline ingegneristiche:
Meccanica, Elettronica, Automazione, Informatica.
La parola “meccatronica” (coniata nel 1969 e poi brevettata nel 1971) oggi ha un senso molto ampio.
La pagina italiana di wikipedia è fuorviante (iron-man sfiora il ridicolo;-), quella inglese di “mechatronics” è meglio, ma il concetto è davvero ricco di significati e alcune particolari definizioni possono aiutare a spiegare meglio.
Per chi ha piacere di approfondire, di seguito si riportano alcuni contributi particolarmente significativi.
“The synergistic integration of mechanical engineering with electronics and intelligent computer control in the design and manufacture of products and processes”
Hewit, J. R., Preamble to Mechatronics the basis for new industrial development, Proceedings of joint Hungarian-British international Mechatronics conference, Budapest, ISBN 1 85312 367 6, September, 1994.
“Mechatronics is a design philosophy that utilises a synergistic integration of Mechanics, Electronics and Computer (or IT) Technology to produce enhanced products, processes or systems”
Parkin, R., Deparment of Mechanical Engineering, Loughborough University, UK, http://www.lboro.ac.uk/departments/mc/Mectron/page8.htm, 1996.
“Mechatronics is an integrative discipline utilising Mechanics, Electronics and Computer Technologies to enhance the performance of products, systems and processes”
Mechatronics Research Group, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Loughborough University, UK,
“Mechatronics is an emergent core technology providing the skills necessary for the successful industry of the next millennium”
UK http://www.lboro.ac.uk/departments/mc/Mectron/inform.htm,Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).
“Mechatronics is the synergistic combination of precision mechanical engineering, electronic control and system thinking in the design of products and processes”
Bradley, D. A. et al., Mechatronics – Electronics in Product and Processes, 1st Edition, Chapman & Hall, UK, 1991.
“They (the Japanese) are seen to be able to rapidly transform new ideas into products. This ability clearly results from their philosophy of using integrated teams of personnel to provide a multi disciplined approach to product design, manufacture, purchasing, ales and maintenance. This philosophy of producing optimised designs and manufacturing processes linked strongly with R&D at both the customer and supplier ends of the product chain is known as Mechatronics” Day, C. C. B.
“Mechatronics – meeting the technician’s needs into the 21st century”
Conference on Mechatronics – The integration of Engineering Design, Dundee, ISBN 0 85298 840 0, 1992.
“Mechatronik ist ein interdisziplinäres Gebiet der Ingenieurswissenschaften, das auf den klassischen Disziplinen Maschinenbau, Elektrotechnik und Informatik aufbaut. Ein typisches mechatronisches System nimmt Signale auf, verarbeitet sie und gibt Signale aus, die es b.B. in Kräfte und Bewegungen umsetzt.”
Schweitzer, G., “Mechatronik – Aufgaben und Lösungen”, VDI Berichte 787, VDI Verlag, Düsseldorf, 1989.
“Mechatronics is the synergistic combination of mechanical and electrical engineering, computer science and information technology, which includes control systems as well as numerical methods used to design products with built-in intelligence”
Shetty, D. and Kolk, R. A., Mechatronics system design, PWS Publishing company, 1997.
“… a precise definition of mechatronics is not possible, not is it particularly desirable, because the field is new and expanding rapidly; too rigid a definition would be constraining and limiting and that is precisely not wanted at present”
Hewit, J., Mechatronics – the contributions of advanced control, In proceedings of 2nd Conference on Mechatronics and Robotics, Duisburg, Germany, 1993.
“Mechatronics involves the bringing together of a number of technologies: mechanical engineering, electronic engineering, electrical engineering computer technology, and control engineering”
Bolton, W., Mechatronics -Electronic Control Systems in Mechanical Engineering, Addison Wesley Longman Limited, England, 1998.
“An engineering discipline concerned with the integration of mechanical, electronic, computer software and other technologies with the aim of designing and manufacturing effective machines”
Rzevski, G. ,Mechatronics -Designing Intelligent Machines, Vol. 1, Butterworth-Heinemann Ltd., England, 1995.
“The synergetic integration of mechanical engineering with electronic and intelligent computer control in the design and manufacture of industrial products and processes”
Harashima, et al, Intelligent Mechatronics, Harcourt Publishers Ltd, Academic Press, 2000.
“The application of complex decision making to the operation of physical systems. This definition is a generalization of the original definition of mechatronics which encompassed mechanical components and electronically-based decision making (digital and analog circuitry). With the advent of computing as the preferred decision making medium, the definition needed to be broadened. It has also become evident that a wider variety of physical systems can be encompassed than just mechanical motion. Examples of these include traditional mechanical systems such as machine tools, manufacturing automation, as well as vehicle control (automotive, airplanes), process systems, thermal and environmental control, building vibration control, etc. ”
Auslander, D., Deparment of Mechanical Engineering, University of California, Berkeley.
“Mechatronics is the synergetic combination of precision mechanical engineering, electronic control and systems thinking in the design of products and processes. It represents the multidisciplinary technological backbone of “smart products” and “agile manufacturing systems”
Alptekin, S. E., Freeman, A. , Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering Department, Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, http://www.calpoly.edu/~ie/mech/edupap.html
“MECHATRONICS is the integrated study of the design of systems and products in which computation, mechanization, actuation, sensing, and control are designed together to achieve improved product quality and performance.”
College of Engineering, University of Washington.
“Mechatronics is nothing new; it is simply the application of the latest techniques in precision mechanical engineering, controls theory, computer science, and electronics to the design process to create more functional and adaptable products. This, of course, is something many forward-thinking designers and engineers have been doing for years” Ashley, S., “Getting a hold on mechatronics”
Mechanical Engineering Journal, ASME, http://www.memagazine.org/backissues/may97/features/mechtron/mechtron.html, May, 1997.
“a methodology for designing products that exhibit fast, precise performance. These characteristics can be achieved by considering not only the mechanical design but also the use of servo controls, sensors, and electronics.” Yamaguchi, T., Mechanical Engineering Laboratory, Hitachi Ltd.
“the confluence of traditional design methods with sensors and instrumentation technology, drive and actuator technology, embedded real-time microprocessor systems, and real-time software.”
Rizzoni, G., Department of Mechanical Engineering, Ohio State University
“Mechatronics is really nothing but good design practice … The basic idea is to apply new controls to extract new levels of performance from a mechanical device.”
Tomizuka M., Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of California, Berkeley.
“Modern mechanical systems are characterized by the extensive integration of sensors, electronics, and computers in their operational environment. This integration is essential to meet the increasing demands of customers on the functionality, flexibility, and reliability of industrial and commercial products. A typical example is the modern automobile. Compared to its predecessor just twenty years ago, a modern automobile provides a much higher level of ride comfort, handling safety, and fuel economy. Antilock braking system, speed-related windshield wipers, engine knock control, variable-assist power steering, onboard diagnosis, service interval indicator – all of these inventions required a multifunctional, interdisciplinary design and manufacturing approach which can be best described as mechatronics.”